Polypody - Polypodium vulgare

Description

Various species of Polypody are very similar in appearance, and need to be separated by detailed examination of the sporing frond. Our VC55 experts have indicated that they are willing to check specimens from our area sent to them by NatureSpot users (contact NatureSpot for more details).  Any Polypody records not subjected to detailed examination should be recorded on our Polypody aggregate page.

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

See under ‘Description’

Habitat

Rocks and walls, even old trees.

When to see it

Spores ripe from August onwards.

Life History

Evergreen perennial

UK Status

Widespread in Britain, though only locally frequent.

VC55 Status

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland but can be quite common where it occurs, such as on the stone faces of old quarries. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 33 of the 617 tetrads.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Polypody
Species group:
Ferns & Horsetails
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Polypodiales
Family:
Polypodiaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
7
First record:
15/06/2013 (Woodward, Steve)
Last record:
06/02/2021 (Graves, Hazel)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

Photo of the association

Chromatomyia scolopendri

The larvae of the fly Chromatomyia scolopendri mine the leaves of the ferns: Hart's-tongue, Wall-rue and Polypody. They form long, narrow mines (up to 10cms) which often follow a vein. The mines are normally greenish and upper surface. Pupation is usually in the mine.